According to a conventional image display device, image data is displayed on a display section such as a liquid crystal panel. The image data has been stored in the image display device or supplied from an image supply source such as an external storage medium or a mobile communication device, and is sent to the display section so that the display section displays the image data. Such a conventional image display device has been realized as an electronic device such as a personal computer (PC), a digital television, or a digital photo frame.
For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a stand-alone monitor with which a high-definition digital image can be viewed without using a PC. In Patent Literature 1, an image is supplied from a wireless image supply source or an electronic storage medium, and the image is displayed on the monitor in response to an operation by a user. The user can directly operate the monitor so that the monitor displays a plurality of images in a slide show.
As described above, while a technique of reproducing an image has been developed, countermeasures have been devised as to how to manage and use image data stored in the device.
For example, Patent Literature 2 discloses (i) an image storing device which receives images via a mobile phone and then stores, for users, the respective images thus received, and (ii) a delivering medium preparation device in which the images are stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Specifically, the delivering medium producing device includes a database in which user IDs are stored so as to be associated with respective images, and carries out (i) sorting of stored images for the respective users so that the stored images are stored in a storage medium and (ii) an image reprint process.
As described above, a process is carried out with respect to an image in accordance with its associated information such as a user ID. The image display device can display an image in accordance with its associated information, instead of the user's direct operation as in the technique of Patent Literature 1.
For example, Patent Literature 3 discloses an image display device which (i) receives pieces of image data from a plurality of mobile communication devices (e.g., mobile phones) and (ii) displays a list of the pieces of image data. The image display device receives the pieces of image data along with pieces of identification information unique to the respective mobile communication devices. Further, the image display device determines where (how large) the pieces of the image data are displayed based on a positional relation (a distance) between the image display device and the respective mobile communication devices which have transmitted the respective pieces of image data, when the list of the pieces of image data is displayed.